Stuff Of Legend
by mamaXunicorn
Summary: "They keep trying to split us up and they never, ever will." A Rose/11 one-shot.


_**A/N: To be honest I'm not really sure where this came from. Although I ship all forms of the Doctor with Rose, its mostly Ten and TenToo. But part of me is definitely intrigued by a Rose/Eleven relationship so this is my take. I hope you enjoy! **_

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><p>Rose tore down the streets, constantly looking over her shoulder searching for the alien that was chasing her. She seemed to have lost it but she could never be sure, not with an alien.<p>

The muscles in her legs were burning, her heart was beating way too fast and she could barely catch her breath. Not to mention her head pounded from being slammed around by the alien she was running from. She could not let it catch her again and go through another beating like that. It was usually at this point that the Doctor would take her hand and lead her to safety and then take care of the alien in classic Doctor fashion. But he wasn't here and she was painfully reminded of that with every passing second.

She thought of the meta-crisis Doctor; the image of his death was burned brutally into her mind: his blood slowly soaking the concrete below him, his shallow breaths, his tired eyes and his dying request, leaving his lips in a whisper, "Find him, Rose. You need to find him. You need him and he needs you." Her pleas for him to stay with her and his final words before he left, "I love you."

With a heart full of rage and hurt and determination she brought out the dimension cannon and did not rest until she found a way to cross into his universe without destroying the whole of the both universes.

When she did find the Time Lord Doctor, and she knew she would, she would never give up even if it killed her, she knew he'd scold her for it but she would not care. If there was one thing Rose Tyler was that was determined and nothing, not even an impossible wall between worlds would stop her.

The perfected dimension cannon did land her in the right universe but not even five minutes there and she was already being attacked by an alien. The creature was cleverly disguised as a black and white cat and started following Rose around. Rose liked cats usually but the only thought on her mind at the moment was getting back to the Doctor. She had turned to tell the cat to shoo but as soon as she made eye contact with it the cat hissed and morphed into its true form which was over ten feet tall. Rose was too close to react properly and the beast tackled her to the ground and her head hit painfully hard against the concrete. She somehow managed to kick the beast off of her and start to run as fast as she could away from it.

And that's what led her here, running for her life down the streets of a town unfamiliar.

She gasped and came to a sudden halt as a strange man stumbled out in front of her. He looked almost as beaten up as her as he fell to his knees at her feet. Behind her Rose could hear the beast loud panting breaths approaching quickly and so she grabbed the man by the arm and yanked him to his feet.

The man furrowed his brow at her actions and she only responded by slipping his arm around her shoulders and running with him into a nearby alley.

A little roughly, she tossed him to the ground and he grunted in pain. She slid onto the ground next to him and pulled her knees up to her chest and burying her nose and mouth into the crook of her elbow to keep quiet.

"What-?" The strange man began and she threw a sideways glare at him and he shrunk down. He then followed her lead and pulled his knees up to his chest burying his head in the space between his legs and his chest, his shoulders shaking quietly.

Rose heard the roar of the beast just outside of their hiding space and gripped the strangers hand tightly. He peeked out over his knees and she put a finger to her lips and he nodded in understanding. They both held their breath, keeping a watchful eye out of the alley to where the beast was.

Their bodies tensed and the stranger gripped her hand tighter as the furry beast came into their line of sight. It sniffed on the ground, growled lowly and then finally leapt forward.

They both were afraid to move until they were sure the beast was gone. It's panting and loud bounding had disappeared and they remained still for several minutes after that.

It was Rose who finally moved first and she carefully fell forward onto her knees. She glanced at the stranger whose eyes were wide with fear and she nodded towards the street. She slowly crawled on all fours towards the entrance, pressed herself up against the wall and cautiously peeked out into the street. She breathed a sigh of relief at no sign of the beast.

"He's gone." She assured the stranger as she stood up and began to walk over to him.

"What was that?" The stranger asked, accepting Rose's outstretched hand to help him to his feet.

"Alien." Rose answered simply and then at his panicked expression continued, "I know it sounds crazy but believe me aliens exist and that was one of 'em."

"No, no, I believe you." The stranger nodded. "I've seen aliens, loads of 'em."

"Yeah?" Rose was now intrigued and looked over the stranger. "You work at Torchwood or something?" He didn't seem like the type judging by his clothes and his frantic expression.

"What? Oh, no. I uh, travel with someone who knows lots about aliens."

Rose's heart suddenly lurched. Rose knew of only one person who travelled and knew loads about aliens.

"I'm Rory by the way." He introduced himself.

"Rose." Rose muttered quickly in reply. "You said you travelled with someone?"

"Yeah, he's called the Doctor." Rory answered. "He has this box time-machine thing."

Rose swallowed her shock enough to smile fondly at the mention of the Doctor and his beloved blue box. "The TARDIS."

Rory looked alarmed. "You know of the TARDIS? Do you know the Doctor?"

"Yeah." Rose said. "I know him quite well. I used to travel with him a long time ago. Actually, I'm surprised…usually his companions are female."

"Oh." Rory seemed to get a little shy and flustered. "Well he found my wife originally I just sort of tagged along I guess."

"Your wife?" Rose's voice shot up in surprise. "The Doctor travels with a married couple?"

"Yeah….is there something wrong with that?"

"No!" Rose shook her head. "Not at all. I just, I dunno, didn't expect it is all. He usually stays away from the domestic."

"He gives us our space." Rory shrugged. "most of the time. Sometimes though it seems like he just doesn't get it, you know? We'll hint that we want to be left alone and he'll just continue blithering on about whatever."

A smile crept onto Rose's lips. "That definitely sounds like the Doctor."

"Rory!" A loud, slightly panicked female voice broke through the air. Rory's face lit up and Rose immediately knew who the voice belonged to without even have meeting Rory's wife.

Limping past Rose, Rory made his way out of the alley and into the street. Rose followed behind him, her heart pounding at the thought of seeing the Doctor again. However the only two people she saw was a ginger woman and a strange young man beside her.

"Amy!" Rory called back and the ginger whirled around. Relief spread across her face and she ran towards him while Rory limped towards her. Rose sunk back into the darkness of the alley watching the scene quietly.

"What happened to you?" The ginger, Amy, cried as soon as she got Rory in her arms.

"What do you think? I got attacked by that bloody thing that attacked the TARDIS." Rory winced as Amy hugged him. Amy frowned as pulled away from him and gently took his face into her hands. She very lightly placed a kiss to the various scrapes on his face and though Rose could not see his face from where she was standing she knew Rory had to be smiling.

"Rory the Roman!" The odd man exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air wildly as he approached the pair. He shoved Amy out of the way and the ginger rolled her eyes as he pulled her husband into a hug. In a very awkward way he patted Rory on the back and then released him. "So glad you're alright."

"Alright?" Rory scoffed. "I look like I was hit by a truck. Feel like it too."

"But you are not dead and that is the most important thing."

Rory sighed heavily. "I suppose."

The odd man clapped his hands together and spun on his heels. "Come along, Ponds. Back to the TARDIS, we've got to find out where that monster went and more importantly what it wants."

Rose stifled a gasp as the strange man's identity finally clicked in her brain. That was the Doctor. Her Doctor, her leather-wearing, big-eared, suit-wearing, wild-haired, enthusiastic Doctor had regenerated once again.

"I think that's pretty obvious." Rory remarked dryly. "It wants to eat us."

"Nah," The Doctor said dismissively. "If it wanted to eat us it would have done so already, its perfectly capable. No, it wants something and it's my job to figure out what that is." He started walking forward, stopped and turned around exasperated.

"Are you two going to just stand there or what? Come on! Time cannot be wasted."

"You have a time machine." Amy shot back.

"Yes," The Doctor sighed, "I do have a time machine but we are already here and I cannot go back in our own personal time line."

Amy just rolled her eyes and silently walked forward towards the Doctor but Rory remained where he was, his brow furrowed as if he was trying to remember something.

"Rory! What are you doing?" The Doctor demanded.

"I feel like there was something I had to tell you…" Rory muttered and rubbed the side of his head. "I can't remember…"

"You can ponder it in the TARDIS."

"Oh!" Rory snapped his fingers. "Rose!"

Rose's breath caught in her chest at the mention of her name and immediately focused her eyes on the Doctor.

It looked like someone had punched him in the gut and Amy reached out to touch his arm in concern. "Doctor?"

Rory seemed not to notice the change in the Doctor and kept talking. "There was a woman I met just before. Her name was Rose and she said she knew you Doctor." Rory looked over his shoulder, searching for the woman who had saved him and his eyes squinted to spot her in the darkness. When his eyes settled on her blonde hair he smiled and lifted his hand motioning her forward.

She watched as the Doctor's eyes travelled from Rory to they alley she was hiding in and as she stepped out into the light his eyes widened. She smiled of course, because whether she knew this regeneration or not he was still the Doctor and she could do nothing but smile when she was around him.

Ignoring the pain aching in her bones she slowly made her way across the street and towards the Doctor and his two companions. The Doctor, his face molded into one of shock, released himself from Amy and approached her at the same speed.

They paused just a foot away from each other, their eyes locking together in an intense stare. "Doctor?"

A breath of air left his lungs and he swallowed hard. "Rose Tyler…" His voice was different and so was his face but the way he said her name most definitely proved this was the same man she'd known for so long.

Her lips curled up in a smile and she was about to speak when a loud howl in the distance cut her off. The Doctor whirled around, breaking eye contact and she momentarily fixated her eyes on the ground.

The Doctor looked at his companions, who looked just a bit worried and then turned back to Rose. Quickly, without another thought he grabbed her hand in his and uttered one single word, "Run."

And they ran, past Rory and Amy, though the couple quickly followed behind, down the streets around corners and past houses and stores and never stopping until they reached the TARDIS.

He raised his free hand in the air, snapped his fingers and the blue doors swung open. Never slowing down he pulled Rose inside and she stumbled forward at the force, gripping onto his arm to steady herself.

The Doctor gazed down at the panting woman attached to his arm and tried to convince himself that his increased hearts rate was not from her but from the thrill of the chase.

Soon Amy and Rory ran through the doors, Amy slamming the door behind them. Rory collapsed against the nearest wall trying to catch his breath and breathe through the pain his body was in.

"I thought you wanted to talk to it." Amy remarked once she caught her breath.

"I do." The Doctor had slithered out of Rose's grasp and was on the other side of the console, fiddling with some buttons.

Rose looked around the inside of the TARDIS in awe. This was not the TARDIS she remembered; it was brighter and bigger even.

"Then why exactly did we run?"

"I don't know." The Doctor answered honestly.

"You're mad." Amy scoffed and the Doctor only grinned, shifting a lever so the gears started shifting and the familiar _vworp vworp_ of time travel filled the air. Figuring she was not going to be getting anything else out of the Doctor, Amy walked over to kneel next to her suffering husband.

Rose slowly walked around the console, examining every inch of the new interior, trying to cement into her brain that this was the same TARDIS she had called home. She only paused when she came within feet of the Doctor who was watching her curiously.

She smiled leaning up against the console. "Hello."

The Doctor eyed her for a moment or two and then asked, "What are you doing here?"

Her eyebrows shot up and her arms crossed over her chest. "Why Doctor, if I didn't know any better I'd say you weren't happy to see me."

Her smile faded when his stern expression did not waver. "I came back for you." Her voice was a bit weaker but still held the same stubborn tone that Rose often held.

"You shouldn't have." His voice was small and he shook his head. "Rose I…I left you with my meta-crisis for a reason."

Rose clenched her jaw and forced back the tears that stung at her eyes at the thought of the meta-crisis. "I-I can't be with him."

The Doctor sighed quietly and awkwardly fiddled with something on the console. "Rose, he's me. He's just human."

"Yeah," She snapped darkly, "He is. He's human. But he himself seemed to forget that and the big idiot went and got himself killed."

The Doctor whipped his head up, his eyes widening in shock. "What?"

Rose swallowed and refused to acknowledge the single tear that was making a wet trail down her cheek. "He's dead." Her voice shook and the Doctor lowered his hand to his side, his face softening. "He died right in my arms because he was too stupid to admit defeat."

The Doctor opened and closed his mouth, gaping like a fish and then lowered his head at a loss for words.

Rose wiped her cheek against her shoulder to rid of the tear. "He told me to find you again."

The Doctor lifted his head slowly, his bangs falling over his forehead, his hazel eyes sparkling in curiosity. "Why?"

"Why do you think?" She retorted quietly and when he didn't answer she added, "You said it yourself. The Doctor and Rose Tyler in the TARDIS, as it should be."

The Doctor remained silent and turned away from her, his shoulders tensed and his face drawn into a stone mask void of emotion.

A frustrated sigh left her lips and she combed her fingers through her frayed blonde hair. "I….this may be a stupid question…"

The Doctor didn't dare look at her; he knew that if he did he would be testing his self control, so he simply nodded to her to tell her he was listening.

He heard her shoes squeak against the glass floor as she shifted. "You regenerated." She stated the obvious and he held back some sort of sarcastic remark. "And I just have to know…do you…feel…the same way about me?"

His eyes slammed closed as she asked the question he feared the most. His hearts clenched painfully in his chest as he thought about answering that particular question. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you take it, Rose continued speaking.

"I mean am I just another companion that you forgot about? That got pushed to the back of your mind as just a speck of memory of your old travels?"

"_No."_ He felt like saying but that was dangerous. Anything he said to Rose could be dangerous. He had to choose his words carefully, very carefully.

He lifted his head and turned to look at the blonde beside him. He had planned to answer her in the most honest yet careful way he knew how but one look at her and those beautiful, captivating brown eyes and all coherent thought washed away.

He stepped away from the console and towards her and she bit her lip as she watched him, unsure of what he was going to do. She didn't know this regeneration and where she always thought that the Doctor was the Doctor no matter what regeneration he was in she couldn't help but fear that she no longer held the same place in his hearts and he wanted nothing to do with her anymore. However, taking her quite by surprise, once he was near enough he threw his arms around her and pulled her against his chest in a bone crushing hug.

His arms were unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time. He was not as skinny as his last regeneration but definitely still thin and still so very warm. She hesitated, only for a split second, and then melted into his embrace. She buried her face into his chest and inhaled his scent. It was different but yet again so very Doctor. She could feel his smile against her neck and his hair tickled the tips of her ears. She grinned and slipped her arms around him, finally returning the hug and pulled him closer to her.

The sound of his two hearts beating soothed her until every worry that previously entered her mind about where she stood with him faded.

Amy and Rory, who had been watching their exchange from their corner of the TARDIS decided to quickly and quietly leave the console room to give the two privacy. However neither the Doctor or Rose noticed their presence or their departure, they were too busy getting lost in each other.

Eventually they parted but still remained close. The Doctor was smiling down at her warmly, all the coldness from before replaced with the familiar fondness she was used to seeing on his face. "That answer your question?"

She grinned cheekily, her tongue poking out the side of her mouth. "Sort of."

"Sort of?" He frowned with a huff. "What is that supposed to mean? 'Sort of'?"

"It means, Doctor," She drawled, "That the hug was nice but I'd like to hear the words from your mouth."

His face fell and he immediately took a step away from her. He turned his back to her and ran his fingers through his thick hair, releasing a deep sigh.

Rose approached him hesitantly, still unsure of how to act around him. Biting her lip gently she quietly reached out and slipped her hand into his. She felt him tense but he didn't protest or reject her. She swung around so she was standing in front of him again and squeezed his hand gently, trying to get him to look her in the eyes. "Doctor?"

"Rose." Her name ghosted across his lips and a chill ran down her spine. "You…" He began but then paused and slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers. Her breath caught at the intensity of his stare, she could almost feel all of his 900+ years in those eyes.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw his hand slowly raise in the air and move towards her face. He took a strand of her hair in between his fingers and lightly twisted it around his fingers before pushing it gently behind her ear.

Her lips parted and a shaky breath escaped as his hand slid through her hair so he was gently holding the back of her head. His thumb very gently caressed her cheek and her eyes automatically fluttered closed as she leaned into his touch. His forehead then very softly brushed against hers and she froze afraid that he'd move away otherwise.

"You are very important to me." He finally admitted, his hot breath ghosting across her lips and she licked her lips in response. "I don't want you to ever think otherwise."

Rose smiled; it wasn't quite an 'I love you' but this was the Doctor and she knew the Time Lord would be less willing to share his feelings than his former human version. She let go of his hands and slid her hands onto his chest. Her smile widened at the feel of his two hearts beating abnormally fast and loved the fact that she was the cause.

Her eyes slowly opened and instead of looking to his face she found herself looking eye level at his chest and more specifically at his bowtie. It was the first time since she'd been in this new regenerations presence that she'd notice his odd clothing choice. She cocked her head with a smirk and lifted her hand to fondle said bow tie.

"You're wearing a bowtie." She turned questioning, bemused eyes on him as she took a step back giving a little space between them.

The Doctor's face scrunched up in confusion and her smirk turned into a grin. She definitely had to admit this new body of his was _adorable_.

"Oh!" Her words finally made sense in his brain and he also pulled away, putting even more space between them and glanced down at this bow tie. "Yes, I am wearing a bowtie. Bowtie's are cool."

She laughed and let go of the bowtie but she was not quite done examining the new him. She trailed her fingers up his neck and traced the outline of his jaw.

"R-Rose?" The Doctor watched her warily as if she were something poisonous coming a bit too close to his face.

She only shook her head lightly back and forth as she continued to trace her fingers all along his face, imprinting every last of his new features into her brain. "You're so different."

His lips twitched and he quickly snapped his hand up to catch her hand with his. Her eyes met his and she was taken a back by his sudden movements.

Keeping his eyes locked on hers he asked in a low tone, "Good different or bad different?"

It only took a second for the words to register with Rose and a beautiful, beaming grin spread across her lips. "Just different." She echoed the words of her past self. Managing to tear her eyes away from the Doctor's for just a moment she glanced up at his thick head of dark hair. "And still not ginger."

"I know!" The Doctor cried suddenly and she jumped and then laughed at the pout on his lips. "The universe does not want me to be ginger! Quite unfair if you ask me!"

"I dunno," She shrugged with a grin, "I think the dark hair suits you."

"I do look rather dashing don't I?" He said smugly, straightening out his shoulders and shifting his bowtie so it lay even.

She giggled, "Absolutely handsome, really."

"Well-" He threw his head sideways dramatically and his bangs flipped. Rose covered her mouth to muffle the unattractive laugh she felt bubbling out of her throat.

"You're so strange." She bit out through her laughter.

His brow rose and he smirked, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Oh," She sighed, leaning against the console and smiled adoringly at him, "I've missed you."

The smirk disappeared off his face and he shifted his gaze to the ground. She frowned and immediately wished she hadn't said that. The last thing she wanted to do was make the Doctor uncomfortable in her presence, though that thought alone pained her and made her wish that the meta-crisis was still alive or better yet, he still had his tenth body. There were times when he'd get a little awkward around her when they skirted around talk about their feelings for one another but he'd quickly change the topic back to something he was comfortable about. He never just went dead quiet like this new body.

She was about to apologize for over stepping when he quietly voiced his thoughts, "I missed you too." He didn't lift his head but he looked up at her and her heart melted. She smiled like the love-sick sap she was and walked over to him, pulling him in for another hug.

She could feel him tense again and hesitate for a moment before his arms slipped around her and pulled her against him. So he wasn't as touchy-feely as the last body was and that was alright. The first Doctor she knew was a little reluctant about all the touching as well so it was nothing she wasn't used to. Rose knew she'd always love the Doctor no matter what form he was in, no matter if he was ginger or not, no matter if one day he had two heads, no matter if he was so touch-feely it was annoying or if he strayed away from any touch whatsoever. He'd always be the Doctor and that was more than enough for her.

He started to shift in his place so Rose, a bit reluctantly, pulled away giving him an understanding smile. She took a few steps back but to her surprise the Doctor reached forward and grabbed her in again, pressing her tight against his chest. Her wide eyes landed on his face as she questioned him silently.

"This is probably the most dangerous and the stupidest thing I will ever do," He began and that only added to her confusion, "But Rose Tyler this has been a long time coming." With one hand securely wrapped around her waist, he brought the other hand to her face and guided her lips to his.

Rose froze, unsure of the reality of the situation. When it finally caught up to her that the Doctor was kissing her and it was real, she threw her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with determined fervor.

She tangled her fingers in his hair, refusing to let go of him. It was her first real kiss with the real Doctor and she wanted to savor it for all it was worth for she didn't know if there would be anymore in their future.

"Right…" He breathed against her lips once they finally parted. "That was…"

"Fantastic?" She offered, breathless. "Brilliant? _Molto Bene._" She purred.

"Yes." He agreed. "All of those things…and more."

She grinned, brushed her lips against his once more in a quick, sweet kiss and then took a step back, her tongue poking out between her teeth.

"So, stupid and dangerous, hm?"

"Very, very stupid and dangerous." He nodded. "But I do dangerous and stupid things quite often and they usually end well."

"And," She shifted her hips closer to his, smiling flirtatiously, "Do you see this ending well?"

He smiled back, his eyes twinkling in delight, "You're here, how could it not?"

They both knew exactly how it could not but they tried to push the painful memories of their past with the fretful thoughts of the future to the back of their minds.

A radiant smile lit her face and she positively beamed at him. A grin split across his own face and he leaned towards her teasing her with what looked like a kiss before he jumped away, switching and pressing buttons on the TARDIS console. He caught her annoyed look from across the way and grinned brighter, laughing as he set their coordinates.

"Come along, Tyler. We have the Earth to save."


End file.
